Jackson EMC is closely monitoring the projected forecast of a winter storm over the weekend and its potential impact on Northeast Georgia and is ready to respond. Current forecasts indicate Northeast Georgia could experience a mixture of frozen precipitation and strong winds.  

Linemen and other support personnel stand ready to respond to our members when needed. In addition, support from contractor crews is being arranged.  

To prepare for hazards present during and after the winter storm, consider the following electrical safety tips:  

• Beware of fallen power lines. If you come upon a fallen power line, assume it is electrically charged. This includes cable TV feeds and telephone lines. Report any downed line to your power company. 
• Report an outage to Jackson EMC at 1-800-245-4044 or by visiting outage.jacksonemc.com.  
• Take proper precautions when using a generator if you lose power. Place the generator outside the home, as dangerous carbon monoxide fumes are odorless and can quickly overwhelm you indoors. Also, never connect generators to another power source, such as power lines. The reverse flow of electricity or “backfeed” can electrocute an unsuspecting utility worker. More information on generator safety is available at https://www.jacksonemc.com/safety/information-and-tips/generator-safety.  
• Prepare for medical needs, such as having a plan for loved ones who depend on medical equipment that requires electricity. This includes backup power, extra medical supplies and medication, or going to an alternative location until the storm is over.  
• A final helpful hint. In the event of a power outage, check your breaker panels before calling your power company. Check both the main breaker on the inside panel and outside disconnect (usually only found in newer homes) located close to your electric meter. If the breaker is tripped, it will be stopped halfway between "off" and "on." Turn the breaker off first and then back on to reset it. If you still have power in part of your home, check the individual breakers in the panel.  

For more information about storm preparation, to report outages and for a listing of current outages visit: jacksonemc.com/storm.  

Resources:  

• Report Outages -  Jackson EMC members should report outages by calling 1-800-245-4044 or by visiting outage.jacksonemc.com.
• Outage Map -  Available in the Storm Center, the Outage Map provides real-time information on outages. jacksonemc.com/storm   
• Storm Preparation - A complete list of items to prepare in homes and businesses before the storm is available at jacksonemc.com/prepare.  
• Jackson EMC on social media. Follow @JacksonEMC on Twitter for storm tips and outage updates, or like us on Facebook. 

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 245,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.